Updated Rules as adopted
12 April 2005
(including revisions up to 12 May 2009)

The Society

1.1

This Society (established 1637) shall be
called the "Ancient Society of College Youths" and is referred to in these
Rules as "the Society".

1.2

The Society shall consist of an unlimited
number of members over the age of fourteen who shall elect annually from
their number a Master, Secretary, Treasurer, Senior Steward, Junior
Steward, Librarian and two Trustees. These officers are referred to in
these Rules as "the Officers".

1.3

The Society shall meet at St. Paul's
Cathedral, Southwark Cathedral, St. Mary-le-Bow Cheapside, St. Michael
Cornhill, St. Giles Cripplegate, St. Lawrence Jewry, St. Sepulchre without
Newgate, St Magnus the Martyr or at such other places as may be selected
from time to time, to practise change ringing.

1.4

The Society shall meet for the transaction of
business once every month at a meeting place within the City of London
appointed by the Society and at such other times and places as may be
decided at a preceding meeting.

1.5

The Society shall keep a book exclusively for
the recording of peals rung by the Society. A name book shall be kept in
which the names of all members elected shall be entered.

1.6

The Society shall hold an Anniversary Dinner
each year in London on the nearest convenient Saturday to November 5th.

1.7

The Society shall have a Bell Restoration
Fund which shall be registered with the Charity Commission and
administered under rules approved by the Society.

1.8

The Society shall be affiliated to the
Central Council of Church Bell Ringers and shall abide by its rules and
decisions insofar as they are consistent with the constitution, rules,
decisions and traditions of the Society.

Membership

2.1

A candidate for membership of the Society
must have rung a tower bell in at least a quarter peal in some recognised
method or methods and in the opinion of members be a suitable person for
membership who will uphold the traditions and standards of the Society.

2.2

A candidate shall be proposed and seconded by
two members present at a business meeting or by letter. His or her
election shall be considered at the next or subsequent business meeting.
The candidate and the proposer and seconder shall, if possible, be present
at the business meeting at which the election is to be considered.

2.3

A member of the Society of Royal Cumberland
Youths shall not be eligible for membership of the Society. Any member
joining the Society of Royal Cumberland Youths will cease to be a member
of the Society.

2.4

Any member whose conduct seriously or
persistently damages the Society or brings it into disrepute shall be
liable to expulsion, suspension from membership for a period not exceeding
12 months, exclusion from specified Society events, or a lesser penalty.
Such action shall require the passing of a Motion at a Business Meeting of
the Society. In the case of expulsion, a two thirds majority of Members
attending shall be required. At least four weeks� Notice of Motion shall
be given at a previous Business Meeting, setting out the grounds. The
Member concerned shall be given a reasonable opportunity to respond in
person or in writing. If the Member is not present at the Meeting when
Notice of Motion is given, the Secretary shall advise him or her in
writing as soon as is practicable thereafter.

Election of Office Holders

3.1

The Officers shall be elected annually at the
first business meeting following the Anniversary Dinner.

3.2

The Society shall elect members annually
as the Society�s representatives on the Central Council of Church Bell
Ringers in accordance with the Council's rules at the first business
meeting following the Anniversary Dinner.

3,3

The Society shall elect annually at the March
business meeting members to act as Tower Secretary and Steeple-keeper at
each of the churches of St. Mary-le-Bow Cheapside , St. Giles Cripplegate,
St. Lawrence Jewry, St Sepulchre without Newgate, St Magnus the Martyr and
St Michael Cornhill. No member shall be elected to office at more than one
church. The elections are subject to the approval of the church
authorities.

3.4

The Society shall elect annually at the first
business meeting following the Anniversary Dinner members to act as Peal
Recorder and Webmaster.

3.5

Two members shall be elected annually as
Independent Examiners at the December business meeting. Officers, Tower
Secretaries, Steeplekeepers, the Peal Recorder and the Webmaster are not
eligible for election as Independent Examiners, nor may any of them
nominate, propose or second a member to stand as an Independent Examiner.

3.6

The Officers, Tower Secretaries,
Steeplekeepers, Peal Recorder, Webmaster, Central Council, representatives
and Independent Examiners are together referred to in these Rules as "the
Office Holders".

3.7

All Office Holders are eligible for
re-election.

3.8

Candidates for any of the above elections
shall be nominated at the business meeting preceding that at which the
election is to take place and be proposed and seconded by two members
present at the election meeting. A period of at least four weeks shall
elapse between nomination and election.

3.9

Election shall be by show of hands unless the
meeting decides it shall be by secret ballot.

3.10

Any casual vacancy shall be filled in
accordance with Rule 3.8.

Duties of Office HoldersOfficers

4.1

MASTER. The Master shall attend if possible
every ringing practice and business meeting, where he/she shall supervise
the ringing and conduct the business. He/she shall preside at the
Anniversary Dinner unless otherwise decided by the members.

4.2

SECRETARY. The Secretary shall attend if
possible every business meeting. He/she shall record all the business
transacted and conduct the correspondence of the Society.

4.3

TREASURER. The Treasurer shall attend if
possible every business meeting. He/she shall be responsible for the safe
keeping and recording of the Society's funds. He/she shall make payments
from these funds as authorised by the Society. He/she shall make a
statement of accounts and present a balance sheet as at December 31st each
year.

4.4

SENIOR STEWARD. The Senior Steward shall
attend if possible every ringing practice and business meeting, where
he/she shall assist the Master. He/she shall assist the Librarian in
placing the Society's property for the use of members as required and in
returning it for safe keeping after use. He/she shall attend on the Master
at the Anniversary Dinner.

4.5

JUNIOR STEWARD. The Junior Steward shall
attend if possible every ringing practice and business meeting, where
he/she shall assist the Master. He/she shall make a record of the names of
members present at ringing practices and business meetings, collect
steepleage due, and pass both to the Treasurer. He/she shall attend on the
Master at the Anniversary Dinner.

4.6

LIBRARIAN. The Librarian shall attend if
possible every business meeting. He/she shall supervise the safe keeping
and preservation of the Society's property and maintain an inventory
thereof. He/she shall record the issue and return of any books and other
items borrowed from the Society's library.

4.7

TRUSTEES. The property of the Society shall
be vested in the Trustees. Either of the Trustees together with the
Treasurer, or both Trustees, shall sign cheques when these are required to
make payments authorised by the Society from its funds.

Other Office Holders

4.8

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS. The Independent
Examiners shall examine all books and accounts of the Society before the
annual presentation of accounts, and shall report to the business meeting
at which the accounts are presented. They shall check the Society's
property annually against the inventory and report to a business meeting.

4.9

CENTRAL COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES. The elected
representatives shall represent the Society's interests as they
individually consider necessary and shall on request give an account of
Council matters of interest to members at a business meeting.

4.10

TOWER SECRETARIES. The Tower Secretaries
shall assist the church authorities with the administration of matters
concerning the tower and bells, shall arrange ringing when required and
shall represent the Society's interests in liaison with the church. Each
shall present an annual report to the Society at the January business
meeting.

4.11

STEEPLE-KEEPERS. The Steeple-keepers shall
attend to the proper upkeep and maintenance of the bells and belfry. Each
shall present an annual report to the Society at the January business
meeting.

4.12

PEAL RECORDER. The Peal Recorder shall
establish the truth of all compositions of peals rung by the Society and
shall assist the Officers with the administration and recording of peals
as required.

4.13

WEBMASTER. The Webmaster shall maintain the
Society's Web Site under the overall responsibility of the Secretary.

Election of Office Holders

5.1

In the absence of the Master or Secretary
from any business meeting of the Society the members present shall elect
substitutes for that meeting.

5.2

Non-members of the Society may attend a
meeting of the Society having been introduced by a member to the Master
and subject to the consent of the meeting. This consent may be withdrawn
at any time.

5.3

Twenty members including at least two
Officers shall form a quorum.

5.4

Not less than four weeks notice must be given
at a business meeting of the Society of any matter or proposition which
would in the opinion of the Master and members substantially affect the
Society's interests.

5.5

Not less than four weeks' notice must be
given at a business meeting of the Society of any proposed alteration or
addition to these rules. Following such notice, rule changes shall be
proposed and seconded by two members present at a meeting or by letter and
be voted on by a show of hands at the same meeting unless a majority of
members voting agrees that the voting shall be by another process.

Steepleage and Fees

6.1

All members meeting the Society at a ringing
practice or at a business meeting shall pay steepleage. Alternatively,
steepleage may be paid annually in advance.

6.2

A member on election shall pay the entry fee,
and be entitled to receive a certificate of membership and a rule book.

6,3

Each member taking part in a peal rung by the
Society shall pay the peal booking-fee. The conductor, or treble-ringer in
the case of a non-conducted peal, shall forward all fees due with full
details of the peal and the peal composition to the Secretary within two
months.

6.4

Steepleage and fees shall be determined from
time to time in accordance with the provisions of Rule 5.4.

Property

7.1

The Society's property shall be kept in such
places as shall be decided from time to time by the members.

7.2

Items of property may be borrowed by members
for use in a proper manner and for an agreed period. Permission for such
borrowing must be given at a business meeting of the Society and minuted.
The borrower shall be responsible for the return of the property within
the agreed period and this return shall be minuted.

7.3

Books may be borrowed from the library by
members at the discretion of the Librarian outside the provisions of Rule
7.2.

7.4

Any member borrowing any items of property or
books within the terms of Rules 7.2 and 7.3 shall be financially liable
for any loss of or damage to such property or books.

Bell Restoration Fund

8.1

The fund shall be known as:

"The Ancient Society of College Youths
Bell Restoration Fund".

8.2

The object of the fund shall be to advance
the Christian religion by providing financial assistance to Churches in
which the Ancient Society of College Youths has a major interest, for the
purpose of maintaining and improving their bell installations by making
grants to them. Maintaining and improving a bell installation shall be
deemed to include the following:

(a)

Taking out an existing ring of bells, supplying and
installing a new frame and erecting the same.

(b)

Taking out, overhauling and reclappering existing
bells, supplying and installing a new frame and fittings and
re-erecting the bells.

Augmentation and bringing existing bells, frame and
fittings into an adequate state of repair.

(e)

Other major repairs and improvements to bells,
bellframes and towers.

(f)

The provision of bells, frames and fittings and
erection in churches which previously had none.

(g)

The provision of new, or the repair of existing,
sound control installations.

8.3

The fund shall be administered by a
Committee of the Ancient Society of College Youths, which shall have the
power, after considering an application submitted in writing, and with the
approval of a business meeting of the Society, to make a grant from the
fund. The Committee shall be chaired by the Master of the Society and the
members shall be the Officers of the Society as defined in the Society's
rules. In the absence of the Master the members of the Committee shall
elect a chairman from those members present. The Committee shall have the
power to appoint sub-committees who shall report back to the Committee on
actions taken and decisions made under delegated powers.

8.4

The Trustees of the fund shall be the
Treasurer and the Trustees of the Ancient Society of College Youths.
Cheques drawn against the fund must be signed by the Treasurer and one
other Trustee. The Trustees shall have the power to invest or otherwise
deal with such sums as the Committee may place in their hands, in such a
manner as the Committee, or any sub-committee appointed by the Committee
for the purpose, shall direct. The Trustees shall further have the power
to borrow funds from the Ancient Society of College Youths, which are
surplus to the immediate needs of that Society, for the purpose of
generating additional investment income for the fund.

8.5

The fund shall be set up by the total
transfer to it of the balance of those monies collected, made available,
or designated for bell restoration by the Ancient Society of College
Youths.

8.6

In the event of the dissolution of the fund,
the assets of the fund shall be distributed among Churches in which the
Ancient Society of College Youths has a major interest and as decided by
the members at a business meeting held in accordance with the Society's
rules.

8.7

The Treasurer shall prepare a balance sheet
as at 31st December in each year and an income and expenditure account for
the year ended on that date. The accounts shall be examined by Independent
Examiners elected by the Ancient Society of College Youths to examine the
Society's accounts, and be presented to the members at the next convenient
business meeting after 31st December of the year for which the accounts
were prepared.

8.8

No alteration of, addition to, or deletion
from these rules shall be made so as to cause the fund at any time to
cease to be a charity at law. No alteration to, or deletion from these
rules shall be made except as results from a business meeting of the
Ancient Society of College Youths for which the agenda item proposing the
change in rules has been notified at a business meeting of the Society at
least four weeks previously.